Medically reviewed by Heidi Moawad, M.D. — Written by Jillian Kubala, MS, RD
Memory is important — you use it every day for multiple tasks, from instinctively knowing how to brush your teeth in the morning to remembering you have an appointment at 1 pm, who it’s with, and how to get there.
It’s also how you recall someone’s face or even the words you’re reading on this page. And of course, it’s critical when you’re taking an exam or test.
You might have heard of short- and long-term memory, or even working memory. But did you know, there are many more types, including sensory, semantic, and procedural?
There are also many ways to help ensure your memory and the parts of the brain involved in it are well nourished and stay working at their best.
Dietary changes
Maintaining a healthy diet is crucial to keep your memory working at its best. Here are some tips to consider when adjusting your diet:
Reduce saturated fat, added sugar, and refined carbs
A 2021 review of studies found that a diet high in saturated fat and added sugar may impair hippocampal function, a brain region associated with memory. Another 2025 study of adults between the ages of 50 and 64 found that just 10 days on a diet high in added sugars negatively affected memory recall.
A Western diet, which is high in refined carbohydrates, may also increase your riskof Alzheimer’s disease.
Boost your omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids are thought to play an important role in brain health. Fifty to sixty percent of the brain is made of fat, and 35% of this is in the form of omega-3 fatty acids. With a Western diet, we typically get more omega-3s than omega-6 and this ratio is thought to have negative health effects.
Boosting omega-3 in your diet might involve increasing your intake of fatty fish or adopting a Mediterranean diet. If you don’t enjoy fatty fish, you might opt for a supplement instead to reach your daily intake.
Choose anti-inflammatory foods
Consuming a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods may help maintain your memory, particularly as you get older.
A 2024 study of 84,000 adults found that those who ate an anti-inflammatory diet had a 31% lower risk of dementia and more gray matter compared with those who consumed more inflammatory foods.
Limit alcohol
Alcohol has negative effects on the brain. Repeated episodes of binge drinking can damage the hippocampus, a part of the brain that plays a vital role in memory. This can affect both dementia risk and your working memory e.g., if you need to recall information in a test or exam.
Binge drinking may be less alcohol than you might think. It is considered binge-drinking when you consume 4 or more drinks (for women) and 5 or more drinks (for men) over a period of 2 hours.
Opting to cut back or stop altogether can do wonders for your memory. You might start by making note of what you typically drink and then slowly decreasing the amount each time so it feels manageable to you.
Along with the dietary changes above, keeping a moderate weight can help maintain your memory into older age.
According to a 2025 review of studies, obesity is associated with decreased memory function and faster memory decline. Obesity is also associated with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive disease that reduces memory and cognitive function.
Though this doesn’t have immediate effects on your memory, keeping at a healthy weight can help reduce memory decline as you age.
Exercise
Exercise can improve cognition in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.
A 2019 study found that open-skilled exercise — which takes place in a dynamic, changing environment — may be more effective than close-skilled exercise in improving cognitive function.
- Team sports, such as soccer and basketball, are examples of open-skilled exercises.
- Closed-skill exercises could include gymnastics, hitting a golf ball, or playing darts. The action is much the same each time, unlike in team sports.
Regular exercise in midlife is also associated with a decreased risk of developing dementia later in life.
Get good quality sleep
Sleep plays an essential role in memory consolidation, a process in which your short-term memories are strengthened and transformed into long-lasting memories.
A lack of sleep can impair memory and cognitive performance. It may also negatively affect long-term memory and cognitive control. The CDC recommends that adults get at least 7 hours of sleep per night, though it can vary by age.
Mindfulness is a mental state in which you focus on the present while maintaining awareness of your surroundings and feelings.
Mindfulness is associated with reduced interference in working memory and improved verbal learning and memory.
Interference in working memory is when older information gets in the way of you learning and retaining newer information.
Improved working memory means you’re better able to actively use information for immediate tasks.
Train your brain
A 2022 review of studies found that “serious games” may improve verbal, nonverbal, and working memory in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. The study defined “serious games” as electronic games played for the goal of boosting brain function, rather than just for pleasure.
Mild cognitive impairment is a slight but noticeable decline in memory. A person with this can still take care of themselves and carry out their daily activities.
However, this review did not include a large number of studies, and more high quality research is needed.
Nevertheless, brain exercises can still be enjoyable, either alone or in a social setting with others.
You might consider spending some of your alone time challenging your brain with puzzles, crosswords, sudoku, and Tetris. Keep in mind that doing things with your hands, like physical puzzles, engages your brain differently than electronic games do, and it’s always great to try different types of brain challenges.
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